Man, 31, Hurt After Patience Wears Out

News in brief

EUSTIS — A 31-year-old Mount Dora motorcyclist who tried to pass a line of stopped cars slammed into the first car as it turned into his path Friday afternoon, police said.

Brian Phillip Vanzandt was flown from the accident at County Road 452 and Edgewater Drive to Orlando Regional Medical Center with head injuries, said police Capt. Carmine Aurigemma.

The accident happened when four cars eastbound on C.R. 452 stopped behind a fifth one driven by Jorge Sauceda, 25. Sauceda was waiting for oncoming traffic to pass before he turned left on Edgewater Drive, Aurigemma said.

Vanzandt, of 107 Emerald Drive, tried to cruise past the stopped cars on his 1980 Honda, but slammed into Sauceda when he turned, spinning the car around, police said.

Sauceda, of 803 Edgewater Drive, was not injured. Vanzandt was thrown about 25 feet, Augigemma said.

Vanzandt, who was wearing a helmet, appeared to have head injuries, broken bones and dislodged teeth. He was listed in stable condition Friday evening.

Traffic in the area was backed up for almost 30 minutes.

Two armed men rob motel guests of $600

MOUNT DORA - Gunmen robbed three guests of the Econo Lodge motel of more than $600 early Friday morning.

The three, who had just walked into a room at the motel at 18760 U.S. Highway 441, were fumbling for the light switch when two robbers muscled their way into the room.

They pushed the victims to the ground and threatened to shoot if the guests tried to look at them, said police Lt. Norman Warren.

Both men had guns, the victims told officers. One man told a detective, ''I put my head on the ground, and I haven't looked up since.''

Warren said the gunmen took $600, credit cards and jewelry from Angelo Castano, 64, of Winter Springs, Richard Keen, 36, of Lake Jem, and Myrtis Tozia, 33, of Apopka.

A fourth woman, Sandra Wright of Mount Dora, interrupted the robbery when she joined her three companions shortly after midnight. The gunmen ran when she arrived.

TAVARES - A 59-year-old Sanford man was sentenced to three years in prison for causing a fatal traffic accident when he was drunk.

Victor G. Olvera, plant manager of Falcon Grocers' Supply in Apopka, pled no contest to a charge of DUI/manslaughter. In exchange for his plea, prosecutors agreed to dismiss a second count of leaving the scene of an accident involving death.

The crash occurred about 8:20 p.m. Nov. 25 when Olvera drove his 1979 Chevy pickup onto the south shoulder of State Road 46 and struck a pedestrian. Manuel Roberto Campillo of Mexico was killed instantly, court records show.

Witnesses watched Olvera drive from the scene and followed him about two miles until they could alert police, court records show. Olvera, who admitted to drinking a couple of Bloody Marys at a nearby bar the night of the crash, refused to give a breath test and failed several field sobriety tests, records show. He couldn't walk a straight line and he had trouble touching his nose with his finger.

Olvera's pickup was damaged and a piece of his grill was found at the scene, records show.

In addition to his prison term, which Olvera must begin serving Sept. 1, the defendant must serve five years probation, will lose his driver's license for three years and has to pay almost $2,000 in fines and court costs.